Conveyer chain link



Dec. 18,l 19751 y. ZAN|T|5 2,579,410

CONVEYER CHAIN LINK l Filed April 9, 1948 \/\T Z fum-m5 INVENTOR.

HT To'RN EY This invention relates Patented Dec. 18, 71951 vir zanius,Fori Wayne Dairy Wayne, Ind., a; corpora Wayne, Ind., assignor to FortEquipment Company, Fort tion of Indiana ApplieationApri-l 9, 1948,Serial No. 20,018

to a conveyor chain. More specifically, it relates to a link for aconveyor chain which is kmade by a vseries of punching and formingoperations which may be carried out on a punch or other type of press.

It is an object of the rinvention to provide a conveyor chain link whichis easy to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a link of the kinddescribed which may be forined from nat, strip stock.

. Yet another object of the invention is to provide a link which issimple but sturdy.

A further object of the invention is to provide a link which utilizesstrip stock economically and efficiently. n

Another object of a link which can be formed by of operations.

These and other objects will become apparent from a study of thisspecication and the drawing which is vattached hereto and is made a parthereof and in which: e Y

Figure 1 is a plan view of the strip and the blank which is punchedtherefrom.

Figure 2"is'a"planl` vie-w of the part after the first formingoperation.

Figure 3 is an elevation of they part of: Figure 2.

Figure 4 -is a plan view of the link after the second forming operationshowing the first-step informing the hinge. Y

Figure 5 is an elevation of the structure of Figure 4. y Figure 6 is aplan view of two of the finished links and their connecting means.

Figure 7 is an elevation of the Figure 6.

Referring now to Figure 1, the numeral I indicates the strip of metalsuch as stainless steel. or any other strip stock from which the link isto be formed.

The first operation is to punch out the blank 3 as shown in Figure l.This blank has a platform 5 which extends transversely of the axis A-Aof the strip, two laterally extending arms V6 which are punched at 1 toreceive a hinge pin 9 and which diverge from the platform, the saddleportion I4 which connects the arms and also connects them and theplatform with the axially extending hinge tab Il. A notch is formed inthe edge of the platform opposite the saddle and is slightly wider thanthe tab Il which is cut from it.

As noted above, the arms 6 diverge fromthe platform so that their free,outer ends are 'farther from the platform than their inner endsso theinvention is to provide a small number structure of platform.

.the piece ninety 11 claims. (o1. 19a- 189) that` when the link isformed.,- the plane contains the centers of the holes 1 and the axis ofthe hinge will be parallel to the plane ofthe The blank thus formed isthen insertedin a forming die which bends portions I3 of the arms 6downwardly and outwardly from the saddle [4 substantially along thelines B-B which are parallel to the axis and then bends the lower endsi5 of the arms about the line C-C until they lie paralleli.- Thedistance between the inner faces of the ends l5 is made great enough toreecivethe hinge l1 which is formed from tab y I l.

The second forming operation, shown in Figures 4 and 5, is alsoperformed in a diepand. bends degrees on a .suitable radius about thelines D-D, Ef-E and Fk F. The platform now occupies, the proper relationwithzrespeot to the arms and .the hinge is partially formed so it needonly be closed. o

rihe third and last forming operation completes the hinge l1 bybendingit substantially aboutv the axis G-Gr to close it. The finalforinof. the link is shown in Figures 6 and 7. y

A hinge pin 9 is inserted through the holes 1 and the hinge of theadjacent link retaining. y washers I9 are crimped into :grooves 2lformed in the pin 9 adjacent the outer faces of the ends L5 of the arms.v

The teeth 23 of the driving sprocket 25 engage the hinge portions of thelinks as shown in Figure 'l to move the chain.v y f The notch 8 providesclearance for .the saddle It of the adjacent link if the chain sagsthrough;- out any portion of its length.= Y. Y

The operation of the chain made of links formed as described is obviousand needs no description.

While I have disclosed a preferred form of my invention for purposes ofillustration, it is obvious that various changes may be made in theconstruction and arrangement of parts thereof Without departing from thespirit of the invention. I do not, therefore, desire to be limited tothe exact form disclosed but desire protection falling fairly within thescope of the appended claims.

What I consider to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of theUnited States of America is: p

1. A conveyor chain link comprising a single piece of fiat stock formedto include a platform, a saddle disposed at an angle to and along oneside of the platform, a hinge connected to the saddle at the sidethereof opposite the platform and arms connected solely to and extendingfrom the saddle and away from the hinge.

2. A conveyor chain link comprising a single piece of at stock formed toinclude a platform, a saddle disposed at an angle to and along one sideof the platform, a hinge connected to the saddle at the side thereofopposite the platform and arms connected solely to and extending fromthe saddle underneath the platform.

3. A conveyor chain link Icomprising a single piece of flat stock formedto include a platform, a. saddle disposed at an angle to and along oneside of the platform, a hinge connected to the saddle at the sidethereof opposite the platform and arms connected solely to andextending. from the saddle andunderneath the platform, the free ends ofsaid arms being spaced torre'ceive the hinge of an adjacent link.

4. A conveyor chain link comprising a single piece of vflat stock formedto include a platform, a saddle 'disposed at an angle to and along oneside of the platform, a hinge connected to the saddle at the sidethereof oppositev the platform, arms connected solely to and extendingAfrom the saddle and away from the hinge, and aligned holes in the freeends of the arms, the axis of the holes and that ofthe hinge beingparallel, said platform being disposed parallel to the plane containingsaid axes.

5. A" conveyor chain link comprising a single piece of at stock formedto include aplatform, a saddle disposed at an angle to and along oneside of said platform, a hinge connected to the saddle at the sidethereof opposite the platform, and arms connected solely to andvdiverging outwardly from said saddle,the free ends of said arms beingdisposed in parallel relation.

6. `A conveyor chain link comprising a, single piece of flat stockformed to include a platform, A

a hinge, means for connecting the hinge to one end of the platform andarms extending from Y saidconnecting means and underlying but outof'contact with the platform.

7.r ,A conveyor chain linkvcomprising a single piece of flat stockformed toinclude a platform, a saddle disposed at a downward angle tosaid platform and connected by one edge thereto,'a hinge Aportionconnected to said saddle at the other edge thereof, arms connectedsolely to the l saddle and diverg'ing outwardly therefrom un derneath'the platform, the free ends of the arms extending into parallelrelation and spaced a disl'tance' greater than the length of the hinge,and

perforations in the ends'of the arms adapted receive a hinge pin.

8. A conveyor chain link comprising a single piece of ilat stock formedto include a platform, a saddle having a width equal to only a fractionof the width of the platform, connected at one edge to and disposed atan angle to the platform, a hinge connected to the saddle at the otherside thereof and having a width substantially less than that of theplatform, arms fixed solely to and extending from the saddle, away fromthe hinge and under the platform and a notch in the edge of the platformopposite the saddle having a Width slightly greater than that of thehinge.

9. A conveyor chain link comprising a single piece of at stock formed toinclude a platform, said platform merging into a, narrow, dependingsaddle at one edge, a hinge connected to the saddle. at one sidethereof, arms extending from the saddle, away from Ythe hinge. andunderlying the platform, said arms diverging from the platform.v

10. A conveyor chain link comprising a single piece of flat stock formedto include a relatively wide platform, lsaid platform merging at oneedge into a narrow, depending saddle which terminates ina tubular hinge,and arms extending from the side edges of the saddle, underneath theplatform in spaced relation thereto and diverging thereform.

11. A conveyor chain link comprising a single piece of fiat stock formedto include a wide, short platform, a relatively narrow tubular hingeportion and a distinct saddle portion connecting the hinge and one edgeof the platform, anda pair of arms each connected at one end to a freeedge of the saddle and extending underneath the platform in spacedrelation thereto.

VIT zANIT1s.

REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare of record in the filelof.'A this patent:

vUNITED STATES PATENTS f Lopes` l Apr. 22, 1947'

